This invention relates generally to organic light emitting device (OLED) displays. OLED displays may use conjugated polymers or small molecules that actually emit light.
Organic light emitting device displays offer the potential for displays that may be manufacturable at relatively low cost. One issue with OLED materials, however, is that they are relatively sensitive to ambient conditions and especially to moisture.
While it has been suggested that the OLED materials may be passivated to protect them from moisture attack, such passivation generally interferes with the manufacture of contacts used to drive the OLED materials to emit light. In some situations, the contacts can be formed around the periphery of the display. But in many situations, such as with tiled or array displays, it is not possible to situate the contacts around the periphery. Instead, the contacts must be made directly into the light producing areas of the OLED display.
Thus, there is a need for a technique for manufacturing OLED displays that protects the OLED material from moisture and other ambient conditions while still facilitating the making of electrical contacts in the actual active display area.